The FUNERAL SERVICE FOR Mrs. Dodson will be held at Hill and Son Funeral Home in Appleton City, Missouri on Monday, December 22, 2014
at 11:00 a.m.

MINISTER for the service will be Brother Alan Black.

VISITATION will be at Hill and Son Funeral Home on Monday, December 22, 2014 from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.

INTERMENT will be in the Appleton City Cemetery, Appleton City, Missouri.

The family suggests MEMORIAL contributions may be made to Ohio Christian Church.

Evelyn Beatrice (Yell) Dodson was a resident of the Ohio community of rural Lowry City, Missouri. She was born July 30, 1924 in the family home to Oscar Fenton and Capitola (Kelley) Yell in Roger Mills County at Sweetwater, Oklahoma. She grew up in Western Oklahoma during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl era and learned at an early age about hard work, endurance, determination and appreciation of all her blessings in life. For what her family lacked in material things they were blessed with love of family. As long as they were together, they felt rich.

Evelyn married the love of her life, Duane Dodson, in 1968 and from that time forward they were constant and true companions. She spent many hours riding the tractor with him, as well as sitting in the pick-up while he farmed or ran the dozer.

Evelyn was a dedicated farm wife for most of her life. Even during declining health she loved to talk farming and wanted to know what all of her family was planning on the farm and rejoiced to hear of crops planted in the field, when hay was baled, as crops were harvested and when crops and calves were sent to market. In her earlier days on the farm she chopped and picked cotton by hand. She rode the old-style hay balers and hand wired small, square bales. She played a vital role in Blevins Dairy, a Grade A dairy operation that produced, bottled, and delivered milk to many households and businesses. For years she filled the trunk of her car daily with home-cooked meals to take to the fields for the many hired hands and family that worked the farm. She also did the bookkeeping for the family operation her entire adult life.

She worked off the farm at the Braemoor Coat and Dress Factory as a seamstress at Pleasanton, Kansas for many years. In Appleton City, Missouri she sewed at the stuffed toy factory, sewed for Katherine Yoss' home interiors business, as well as at Cloverleaf Manufacturing. She later became the lead sales clerk for Cloverleaf Fabric Shop in Appleton City where she worked for over ten years and loved meeting and greeting the people of Appleton City and the surrounding area. She became well known for her friendly attitude and warm smile

Evelyn was a member of Pleasant Gap Christian Church and Ohio Christian Church. She is now happily united with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and is reunited with her many family members and friends. She loved to attend family reunions and is enjoying her best one ever!

She had a green thumb and loved to garden. In her later years she sewed many beautiful quilts for her family that will be treasured for years to come. She also loved to fish and see her family, friends, but especially the grandchildren catch fish from the family pond that Duane (Pa Pa) had dug with his dozer. She always remained young at heart, had a ready smile and quick wit, and never met a stranger.

Evelyn was preceded in death by her husband Duane Dodson, her sons Elwood Leonard, Rayford Blevins and Dennis Blevins and her sister Norma Hetzler.

Evelyn is survived by her daughter Joyce (Blevins) Noakes and husband Gary, Lowry City, MO; grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Annette Bradley and husband Pauley, Austin, Lauren, and Addison, DeSoto, KS; Carrie Knuth and husband Jeremy, Abigail, Carlie, Madelyn and Brady, Louisburg, KS; Matthew Noakes and wife Jennie, Trey and Kaylie, Lowry City, MO; Luke Noakes and Brecken, Lowry City, MO; Marty Leonard, Bryant, AR; Shawn Hallman and husband Mark, Benton, AR; and RayeAnn Baker, Olathe, KS; son Ira Dewayne "Doc" Blevins and wife Mary, Janesville, CA; grandchildren: Deanne Perry, Chico, CA; Shelly Blevins, Athens, GA; Greg Blevins and wife Lori, Susanville, CA and Ian Arnold and wife Sarah, St. Louis, MO; brother Jim Yell, Lahoma, OK. Evelyn also enjoyed and loved her many nieces and nephews and a host of family and friends.